"Ahhh, look at all the fireflies out tonight!" Persephany said, sitting down on a wicker chair.

"Yeah, they're amazing, aren't they?" Seraphina said, letting the screen door slam behind her and walking out onto the screened-in back porch.

"Hmm, it almost makes you want to be a kid again." Perseph said, closing her eyes as she listened to the insects chirp in the night air. Seraphina looked over at the porch all around her. She loved to come out here and sit during the cool summer nights; to them the porch always seemed so big and outstretching, and there was even a time when she could hardly even see up to the screened part. But that was many years ago, when the world itself seemed a lot bigger and their innocence wasn't yet a question.

It didn't seem that long ago; her and her cousin running around barefoot chasing those very fireflies without a care in the world. But the more she thought about it, the more distant it began to seem.

Seraphina grabbed the cold pitcher of lemonade from off the table. The cold drops of water that ran from the side of its glass tickled her fingers. As she poured the lemonade into two separate glasses, she said, "So what happened between you and Tavorian tonight. I saw him follow you when you walked into the library . . . . did he say anything to you?"

Persephany took her glass and then looked down, saying, "Oh, he just asked me why I had walked off, that's all."

Seraphina sat the pitcher back down on the table. Then she looked back at Persephany. "Besides that, I mean, did he say anything else? You all were gone for about ten minutes."

Persephany looked up at Seraphina as she said this. Then she replied quietly, "Well, yeah. Actually, you know, I decided that I'm just going to forget about that dream I had about Tavorian. I mean, he really doesn't seem like a bad guy at all, and it would be unfair just to think so over some dream I had, you know?" She sighed. "He's actually kinda interesting." She continued.

Just as she said this, the screen door opened behind her. Persephany and Seraphina both jumped and turned around to see who it was.

"Hello, my little pretties." The blonde haired boy said as they turned to look at him.

"Tavorian, what are you doing up?!" Seraphina asked , surprised.

He smiled seductively at them. "Well, I decided I couldn't sleep and I followed your voices downstairs. You all don't mind me joining you, do you?"

"Not at all." Persephany said with a smile.

Tavorian grinned at his warm welcome and walked over to take a seat in front of their chairs. He looked up at Seraphina and smiled mysteriously, saying, "You know, my brother Isekheul had an awful lot to say about you after dinner tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if he told me he was starting to take a strong liking to you." He stared contently at her as he said this, his blue eyes saying more than his words. Seraphina, surprised at what he had said, replied, "Oh really? That seems odd. He didn't really seem to be paying that much attention to me." She moved her eyes down to his persistent grin.

"Oh, no. He was paying attention to you. You just didn't realize it." He insisted, his expression not changing. As soon as he said this, his attention was drawn to a firefly that had flown up close to the screen next to him. Changing the subject, he looked back up at the two and said, "So, what would you girls say to a nice walk around your property. I still haven't seen all of it, you know."

Seraphina, confused at the quick change of subject, looked at Persephany, not saying anything. Persephany broke the silence suddenly, "Uhh, yeah, okay."

She looked back at Sera and, seeing that it was okay with her, got up and began to walk to the screen door that led out into the backyard of the hotel. She opened it and turned back around to face Tavorian. "We can go as long as we aren't out too late. Grandfather would probably get worried."

Tavorian nodded at her reassuringly. "No problem there. I just want you guys to show me around a little bit. We won't be gone long, I promise." With that, he walked up to Perseph as she stood by the screen door. He smiled confidently at her and then said, "C'mon, little pretty." He began to walk outside, his shoulder length hair blowing lightly from the soft wind that blew past him.

"After all, it is your duty to take care of your guests." He said, his voice sounding farther away as he walked farther out into the night. Seraphina sighed and looked at her cousin. Persephany just shrugged and then the two began to follow him, not even beginning to know what he had up his sleeves.

* * *

"Man, this place is beautiful." Tavorian said as they gathered around the stone walkway in the center of the hotel's garden. He looked around him at all the exotic plants growing around the garden's gate. All of them were so tall, they were like huge walls enclosing the place. In the center of the garden was a huge marble fountain; The water reaching almost as high as the gate.

Persephany smiled to herself as she saw how intrigued Tavorian was by the place.

"This is amazing." He said, his eyes still on the many plants that surrounded him. Seraphina walked up closer to him. "Yeah, I know. Me and Persephany used to play hide-and-seek here when we were younger." She said, also looking around.

Tavorian was quiet. Then, suddenly, he said, "Well, why'd you stop?" He looked at Sera, waiting for a reply.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked. He continued, "Well, you said you 'used' to play that here . . .what made you quit?"

He looked at her, a hopeful expression on his face. Sera still didn't say anything. He continued, "You mean, just because you're older you can't have fun anymore? Man, if we all believed that, our lives would get . . .well, boring."

Seraphina looked at him, intrigued by what he said.

"So Tavorian, do you mean to tell me you and those brothers of yours still play child games when you have nothing else to do?" She smiled at him. Tavorian smiled back. "Well, you know . . ." he looked at Persephany, who had her eyebrows raised at him.

" . . .of course we do. Well, I mean . . .sometimes." he blushed, the rosy redness almost seeming not to fit the paleness of his skin. When he looked back up, the color had vanished and he had a different expression on his face.

"All right. What do you say we play hide-and-seek. Right here. You'll see what I mean." He smiled. Persephany and Seraphina exchanged glances, both interested in his idea.

"All right. You're on." Seraphina said without hesitation. Before he could speak anymore the two girls had run off in opposite directions, each heading to their own secret hiding spot. Tavorian closed his eyes, smiled, and waited a couple of minutes. When enough time had passed he began to walk around the garden, looking for any sign of them. After about 10 minutes, he came to a row of bushes that were about as tall as he was. Figuring that one of the girls would've hidden back there, he walked closer to it to see if he could see anyone behind it. Just as he did this he heard the bushes move next to him. He smiled. He walked closer until he was on the other side of them and then he looked up to see Seraphina standing there, looking in the other direction. He moved ever-so-slowly up to her until he was standing directly behind her. After a short moment, he reached his hand up and lightly placed it on her shoulder. Seraphina jumped and turned around to face him.

"Oh my gosh Tavorian, you-" She began, but he stopped her by placing his hand over her mouth.

"Gotcha!" He said in a whisper. Seraphina smiled, a little surprised at the encounter. She stared into his eyes; They seemed so content. Her expression quickly changed when she realized how he was looking at her.

She opened her mouth to say something but then suddenly realized she couldn't speak.

"My, you have awfully pretty eyes." He said, taking his fingertips and brushing a piece of hair out of her face.

Seraphina looked down, a little uncomfortable at how he was acting.

He smiled, walking up closer to her. He looked back into her eyes. "Do you mind if I kiss you?" He said after a short pause. His eyes looked as icy-blue as ever, almost as if they had changed color. Seraphina didn't reply, but Tavorian moved in closer. He moved down to her neck, planting kisses up and down it. Seraphina stood there, frozen. All she could see of Tavorian was the silhouette of his body in the moonlight. As he continued to kiss her neck, Seraphina could hear the distant rumble of thunder beyond the hills. She looked down just in time to see his deep eyes staring back at her. They looked different, like they had become translucent. She felt a chill run up and down her spine as he began to kiss her neck again. Just as she was about to push away, her thoughts were interrupted by a single raindrop landing on her forehead. Before she could think anymore, the light drops of rain suddenly turned into a fierce shower, soaking the two as they stood there in the garden. Tavorian shook suddenly and looked up at her. His eyes appeared to be normal again, and Sera almost thought that she had imagined the whole thing.

"C'mon, let's get Perseph and go back." He said to her, turning towards the entrance of the garden. With that, they began to head in the other direction, not a word being spoken about the weird way he had looked at her, or the way he had acted. As the rain fell down on her skin, Seraphina shuddered again in the night air. Not knowing what to do or think, but knowing just to walk, she hoped that by the time she had reached the hotel she could leave the incident, as well as the rain, outside in the night.

* * *

Fortunately, Persephany had already decided to run back to the back porch of the hotel as Seraphina and Tavorion came dashing across the garden behind her. All three of them, soaked to the bone, stood shivering out on the wooden porch out of the rain. They attempted to ring out their clothes while talking.

"That was fun." Persephany said nonchalantly.

"Yeah." Seraphina half smiled. Tavorian just stood there with that amazing grin again.

"Well ladies, shall we head into the parlor and sit by the fire?" He suggested.

"Sounds excellent, Tavorian. " Persephany replied, leading the way inside.

Seraphina just nodded in reply as she walked in, Tavorian behind her. When they reached the parlor, they took a seat by the almost-dying fire. As Tavorian sat in his chair, Seraphina stood up and walked over to the fireplace, attempting to rearrange the logs and preserve any bit of flames that were hidden by them.